Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

The wind on the rooftop seemed to have been paused for a second.

The half-burnt cigarette between Lu Jingyan's fingers was shedding its last bit of grayish-white ash. It broke free of the filter and, under the influence of gravity, fell towards the hard concrete floor. However, in that brief moment, less than three centimeters into its fall, an unprecedented resonance resonated within the very foundational logic of Jinghai City, and indeed, of the entire planet Earth.

This resonance was not a physical tremor caused by crustal movement. It bypassed Lu Jingyan's eardrums, swept past his nerve endings, and took root deep within his soul.

Lu Jingyan's deep black eyes narrowed slightly. His instinctive response of absolute rationality detected no malice whatsoever. Instead, he felt a vast, immeasurable, yet gentle, sense of acceptance, like the amniotic fluid of a mother's womb.

He watched helplessly as that tiny wisp of cigarette ash hovered in mid-air. The wind died down, the clouds dispersed. On the distant streets, the previously noisy horns vanished instantly, and the entire city seemed to have fallen into a grand silent drama.

At that moment, on the playground below the building, Zhao Tiezhu was looking up. His rough, calloused hands were still rubbing his neck. He felt an unprecedented sense of comfort; the hidden injuries left by years of high-intensity combat were slowly healing in this rhythm.

"What's going on?" Zhao Tiezhu muttered to himself. He noticed the air had become exceptionally clear. Every speck of dust seemed to dance under the refraction of the setting sun. This tranquility made even this burly man want to hold his breath, afraid of breaking this sacred balance.

Meanwhile, Su Xiaoxiao, in the hospital room, put down the apple in her hand. She turned to look out the window, and a dreamy blush appeared on her pretty face, which had been pale from the pain.

"It's so quiet," she murmured. In her perception, the aftershocks of those high-dimensional codes that had once given her such a splitting headache had completely dissipated. It was as if an unseen hand had gently smoothed out all the wrinkles.

Standing on the edge of the rooftop, Lu Jingyan felt a voice in his mind. It wasn't a wavelength produced by the vibration of his vocal cords, but a concept directly projected by a massive consciousness.

[Lu Jingyan.]

That consciousness was calling his name. It had no form, yet it made Lu Jingyan feel as if he were facing the entire sky, the entire deep sea, and the Earth's core that had been burning for billions of years.

"Now that you're awake, stop playing tricks." Lu Jingyan said calmly. He picked up the cigarette again, even though it remained suspended in mid-air.

I am not faking it. I am the will of this world, the natural law you speak of, and the underlying logic forcibly disrupted by those higher-dimensional invaders.

The fluctuations in the void became increasingly clear. Lu Jingyan felt his vision being forcibly expanded. He could see every corner of Jinghai City. The order that had been destroyed by the system host was being rapidly and automatically repaired.

The financial loopholes caused by the extravagant spending of the super-rich were instantly filled by an invisible computing power. The commercial building that collapsed because of the Dragon King's crooked mouth was strangely reinforced in terms of physical structure. Even the small animals that had gone berserk due to the revival of spiritual energy now quietly retreated to their nests, their rage receding and replaced by the most primal spirituality.

【Thank you.】

That consciousness rippled again. This time, Lu Jingyan felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Those higher-dimensional "viruses," or what you call systems, are nearly devouring my logical chains. They've implanted parasites within my body, using these "protagonists" to steal my fundamental energy.

If you hadn't used that cold, hard legal code as a weapon to physically sever their infection pathways, I probably would have become nourishment for those evil gods long ago, and this planet would have turned into a lifeless mass of flesh.

Lu Jingyan snorted coldly and flicked his fingertip. The cigarette ash finally fell to the ground with a soft "shh" sound.

"I arrested them, not to save you," Lu Jingyan said curtly. He straightened his collar, his eyes revealing the aloofness of a law enforcer.

"They have violated the laws of our country. Within my jurisdiction, anything that is alive is under my jurisdiction, whether it is a human, a god, or some vague and ethereal will like yours."

That's why I'm even more grateful to you.

The will of the world seemed to let out a soft laugh. This laugh transformed into a gentle breeze, softly brushing against Lu Jingyan's hair.

I've seen countless "heroes." Some wanted to replace me, some wanted to take from me, and some wanted to use me to destroy. Only you, from beginning to end, stood behind that red line called "rules."

You have no greed for power, no longing for immortality. You even rejected the chance to become a god, just to return to this dusty world and continue being a policeman who could die in the line of duty at any moment.

This almost obsessive rationality is precisely the stabilizing force this world truly needs.

As his will resonated, Lu Jingyan discovered that the sunset on the horizon had reached its most beautiful moment. The golden-red afterglow, like flowing honey, enveloped the entire city.

I promise you, from this day forward, that I will reclaim all excess spiritual energy.

This planet will return to a normal, stable path of civilizational evolution. Those bizarre superpowers, those unreasonable systems, those so-called miracles will all become legends, slowly fading into the hourglass of time.

From now on, this place will only hold science. Only the fruits of hard work. Only truths derived through logical deduction.

This is the kind of society you've always wanted... a society governed by the rule of law.

As Lu Jingyan listened to these promises, the sharpness that had been taut in his eyes finally softened. He looked down at the bustling crowd below, at the return to normalcy.

"This is how it should be," Lu Jingyan murmured. He felt his heart beating steadily and strongly. This feeling of being truly alive was indeed much more comfortable than being a god.

But that doesn't mean I'll take away your power.

The concept of world will flickers once again.

The codex within you is now locked into my underlying rules. You will be the sole, legitimate overseer of this world. If any uninvited guests arrive in the future, you will still be the gatekeeper.

"Of course. As long as I, Lu Jingyan, am wearing this outfit, this place will be off-limits to cheat codes." Lu Jingyan's lips curled up slightly. He looked at the sunset and suddenly felt that this long, absurd script had finally come to a decent end.

The fluctuations in the world's will began to gradually weaken. The oppressive feeling that had enveloped the entire globe was receding like the tide. It seemed to be falling back into a deep slumber to slowly digest the "high-dimensional remnants" that Lu Jingyan had expelled.

But before it completely disappeared, this long-standing, rigorous, grand, and indescribable consciousness suddenly produced a playful fluctuation.

This fluctuation even surprised Lu Jingyan.

He could feel the world's will staring intently at him through the birds perched on the branches, through the streaks of light leaping on the water, and even through the gazes of the still-stunned police officers, with a mocking, almost maternal smile.

This intense gaze made the usually composed Director Lu feel a strange unease. He subconsciously touched the tip of his nose, as if trying to hide something.

Director Lu, to repay you, I've decided to grant you one wish. What kind of partner do you want?